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Cavalier puppy in the womb!!

Here is an ultrasound we took today of our cavalier's puppies! This is just one of the puppies but I couldn't resist posting because it was just so cute. We are lucky enough to have access to a GE 4D ultrasound machine due to the fact that my stepdad is an OBGYN and Fertility specialist haha. We are lucky in the fact that we are able to check the puppies blood flow, movement, heartbeats, puppy count, ect daily.

Disclaimer: We are not breeders, just a family with an expecting cavalier. We don't sell puppies for show since we do not "breed". This puppies will be companion pets ONLY (if we even choose to place them in homes that are not ours or other family members). Just to ward off any questions of our "intent". We're just cavalier lovers

That was really interesting - but again I'm afraid I will have to lock this thread to prevent further discussion. People will still be able to view it though.

Sadly it is often people who breed from their family pets who do not carry out any health testing, and produce puppies who do not conform to the breed standard.

Obviously I am not saying that this is what you are doing - but we do not want to encourage others to do this...breeding needs to be considered very carefully, the Cavalier breed very sadly has many health issues and breeding decisions need to be directed accordingly.

But the dog is pregnant, and this IS "breeding" (what else do you call it when one dog is mated to another?). Whether the object is to show or not is irrelevant -- unless the dog came in already pregnant as a rescue dog, in which case of course she should be immediately spayed once puppies are homed and all pups should be spayed and neutered when the time is right as it doesn't sound as if the parents come from health tested lines where any health history is known.

Health problems don't vanish simply because a dog is bred 'not for show' -- and indeed they often worsen because the mating is done with absolutely no regard for the health of either dog except what a vet can see -- which is *meaningless* when it comes to later onset hideous diseases like MVD and SM. Pain does not discriminate and only choose show dogs, as too many of us with non-show cavaliers with heart, EFS and SM problems (amongst others) know.

I hope everyone in your family will take a responsible role in ownership with both the mother and puppies.

It would be wise to steer the relative who owns this breeding dog to the www.cavalierhealth.org website and have them carefully read about MVD and SM, health testing and the breeding protocols for these conditions, so that they understand better why this type of home breeding is so dangerous to this breed's future and just how much is involved in breeding responsibly.